Storage containers are found in many sizes, shapes and construction. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,682,179 to Krembs, as issued Aug. 28, 1928, a container for retaining a grouping of welding rods is an erected carton with side panels made from a relatively strong bland. This container is not contemplated to be fluid-tight. U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,278 to Wilson, as issued Mar. 15, 1949, shows a tubular member, but the end caps do not suggest a fluid-tight enclosure. U.S. pat. No. 2,491,213, as issued to Robinson, Jr. on Dec. 13, 1949, shows a tubular enclosure with sheet metal caps or bungs. The tubular portion is of cardboard or fiber and the like. These containers are contemplated for shipping and do not suggest a fluid-tight enclosure. U.S. pat. No. 2,975,888 to Paynton, Sr., as issued mar. 21, 1961, discloses an archery package for storage and shipping arrows. A fluid-tight enclosure is not taught.
Also noted is U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,788 to Ford, as issued Apr. 9, 1963, which pertains to a knitting needle holder of thin plastic tubing, and there is no suggestion of strength and fluid-tightness associated with this construction. A rod toter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,148, as issued to Honhart on FIG. 15, 1966. This toter is open to the top although for welding rods which may total several pounds. U.S. pat. No. 3,847,274 to Inglish, issued Nov. 12, 1974, pertains to a capillary tube dispenser and uses an open top cup to hold these tubes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,202 to Lasich, as issued June 14, 1977, shows a one-piece plastic cap used with a tube member. There is no teaching of making the container fluid-tight. U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,992, as issued to Bergstein on Oct. 4, 1977, shows a tubular container, but there is no teaching of a fluid-tight container.
Also noted are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,319,448 (Frostad); 1,053,492 (Hadfield) and 3,156,350 (Lockwood). The patents to Hadfield and Lockwood disclose the forming of containers from a tubular plastic blank by sealing the ends of the blank. The patent to Frostad discloses a soda straw package having compressed, sealed ends.
Also noted is the Dual Pak system in which a sturdy plastic bottle is protected by a high-strength corrugated box. In this system, as is disclosed in a six-page informational piece relating thereto, the bottle does not appear to be attached to the box through any compression seal member.
Also noted are U.S. pat. Nos. 4,601,410, issued to Bond, and 4,286,636, issued to Credle. These latter patents disclose collapsible bag structures employing a spout as part of the construction.
Other patents which disclose flexible, material-containing packages, either alone or in combination with more rigid supporting structures are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,466,553 (Zenger); 3,851,688 (deWinter); 3,589,506 (Ford); 3,225,967 (Heimgartner); 3,171,571 (Daniels); 3,057,517 (Douglas); 2,966,282 (Geiser); 2,816,690 (Lari); 2,671,578 (McBean); 2,751,127 (Mitton) and 2,564,163 (Leperre). None of these latter mentioned patents disclose a system wherein a flexible liner, bag or bladder is sealed by an expanding plug against the edge of an aperture in a more rigid container.
Also noted were U.S. pat. Nos. 3,229,813, issued to Crowe, Jr. et al.; 2,821,338, issued to Metzger and 3,019,950, issued to Callegari. The Crowe, Jr. et al. patent relates to a flexible, sterile package for items such as cotton balls; not to any rigid package of the type forming the subject matter of the present invention. The Metzger patent relates to a package formed of a flexible film-type material, including a tube-like check valve as part of the package construction. The Callegari patent discloses a sealing member for a punctured can which is adapted to be secured to the can, and thereby provide a pouring spout for the contents in the can.
A variety of expanding plugs are known in the prior art for expanding into engagement with peripheral surfaces defining an opening in a receptacle. These expanding plugs generally have an elastomeric central section which is axially compressed, to thereby radially expand the member into engagement with the surface defining the opening. The prior art systems are generally employed by fully seating the plug within the opening, and are not concerned with aligning the expanding plug body midway in the opening, as is generally preferred when sealing an opening in a thin-walled receptacle.
Exemplary prior art plugs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 408,364 (Traut)); 966,748 (Honecker); 1,843,002 (Small); 2,070,579 (Brooke); 2,170,866 (McAllister); 2,321,515 (Rice); 2,493,452 (Grigg); 2,886,067 (Maxwell, et al.); 2,924,246 (Markel); 3,044,496 (Maisch) and 3,326,403 (Glass).